Athletes often train in ways that mimic the play of their particular sport during competition. For example, runners can improve their racing performance by engaging in endurance and sprint training; baseball pitchers practice repetitive pitching motions to build muscle memory and perfect their pitching style; rowers may practice on a machine constructed to mimic the confines of a rowboat so that a participant can train in an indoor facility. Exercise training is a popular activity that not only increases performance in a particular sport, but also provides improved health, teamwork, and camaraderie.
Sparring is one of the oldest known physical sport activities that pit strength, endurance, tactical knowledge, and other elements between two or more opponents. Sparring is frequently practiced in martial arts and boxing training regimens. However, some practitioners also enjoy sparring alone by practicing kicks, punches, and other strikes against various types of sporting equipment, such as punching bags.